By: Jenny Castro
Los Angles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 08-31-2026
Originally from Litlleton, Colorado, Sharlize True Trujillo moved to LA as a teenager and has since amassed a following on social media including 2.9 million followers on TikTok. Winning Miss California recently, Trujillo hopes to utilize her platform as a state titleholder and her online presence to give back to the community as well as inspire others to chase their dreams. A lifelong dancer, Trujillo grew up around the arts, ““My older brother and sister also dance, and my mom has a studio, so we grew up training at a dance studio five nights a week, all day, every day,” she said. Trujillo is experienced in classical ballet, contemporary jazz, and currently dances hip-hop on her dance team at UCLA. As a teen, she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment landscape, and gained a strong following after posting on Musical.ly, “I then started gaining brand deals, and by the age of 16, I was able to be financially independent, pursuing social media full time and also pursuing acting as well,” she said.
Currently a fulltime content creator and a social media influencer, Trujillo loves sharing ideas and spreading positivity online, “The reason social media is such a big part of my life is because, when I was younger, I looked up to people online,” she said. Adding, “There were certain people who inspired me to dance and become a better person, so I wanted to create content that could have that same impact. Around the time I was 14, I started receiving messages from people saying, ‘Hey, this post helped me achieve my goal. This is helping me move forward in my future.’ I really took those messages to heart and ran with them. Now, every day on Instagram, I have a True Crew chat where I share positive messages, five things to help people stay productive, and voice memos. For me, it’s really about uplifting the next generation of young people online and meeting them where they are, especially since they’re spending so much time on their phones.”
Now, as Miss California, Trujillo hopes to extend her influence beyond social media and use her growing platform to make a meaningful impact, particularly among young people navigating an increasingly digital world. Stepping into the world of pageantry in recent years, Trujillo looks forward to her chapter in representing the State of California and credits the Miss America organization with educational opportunities that has allowed her to continue college,” I’m definitely new to pageantry as this is my second year in the Miss America organization,” she said. Adding, “When I found out it was a scholarship program, I knew it was an incredible opportunity. As a young woman who had been paying my own way through college, the chance to receive support toward law school was incredibly meaningful to me. Once I got involved, I realized the program was really about empowering women through education and helping them find their future. That aligned so naturally with everything I was already doing on social media, so bringing those two worlds together just made sense.”
At present, Trujillo attends UCLA and is majoring in gender studies with a minor in film and television. She plans to attend law school where she can utilize her business sense and entrepreneurial spirit and apply it to her studies. Pertaining to her advocacy platform, Trujillo platform is titled “True Worth” where she works alongside non-profits Girl Well and the Altadena Girls. “It has two components to it,” added Trujillo. “The first is the in-person community work, where we work to ensure displaced young women in the community have access to hygiene products, clothing, and all the resources they need to succeed. The second component is very much in touch with the 21st century, it’s the digital component. I send positive messages and connect with young people online through livestreams and one-on-one advice sessions with people all over the world. That’s my community service, and it’s all encapsulated in True Worth,” she said.
As Miss California, Trujillo looks forward to further serving the community and providing new opportunities for young women, “So I started my own scholarship called the True Start Scholarship, which is supported by brands I work with through social media. I put a percentage of my brand-deal earnings into a scholarship fund so that next year, as Miss California, I can give back to the organization and help another young woman pursue her goals. I’ve realized that being financially independent gives you so much freedom to create the life you want. I really want to instill that sense of independence in other young women and help someone else have the same opportunities,” Trujillo explained. As pageant week kicks into full gear, Trujillo looks forward to the experience. “One of the best things about the Miss America Organization is the interview process. I feel like all of us women prepare so much for it, and it gives us an opportunity to really understand who we are at our core and not let anyone else shake that confidence. Being part of a class of such brilliant women who are making a difference in their communities and across their states is truly an honor.”
Watch the Miss America pageant this Sunday Streaming Live on Youtube here.
Follow Miss CA on Instagram here.
Follow Sharlize on Instagram
https://www.misscalifornia.org/
